There are many different types of hitches utilized to connect a towing vehicle with a towed vehicle, such as a trailer. These hitches attach the towed vehicle with the towing vehicle in a variety of ways, depending on the type of hitch, towed vehicle, or towing vehicle. Some of the most common types of hitches include gooseneck, fifth wheel, rear mount, and the like. Towed vehicles are often connected to a towing vehicle by way of a ball hitch secured to the towing vehicle and a ball socket coupling mechanism on the towed vehicle mounted over the ball. This configuration allows the towed vehicle to pivot behind the towing vehicle.
The ball hitch of some hitches, such as a gooseneck, for example, is commonly mounted in the load bed of the towing vehicle near the longitudinal centerline of the load bed. This may help distribute the weight of the towed vehicle generally evenly between the tires on sides of the towing vehicle. Gooseneck hitches are often attached to the frame of the towing vehicle under the load bed or attached on the load bed of the towing vehicle. In those gooseneck hitches attached to the frame of the towing vehicles, at least one hole is usually cut in the load bed of the towing vehicle for insertion of the hitch ball.
The hitch balls in gooseneck hitches are typically removable or retractable so that when the gooseneck hitch is not in use, the hitch ball may be removed or refracted. This may generally prevent obstruction of use of the load bed when the gooseneck hitch is not in use. With primary emphasis placed on storing/removing the hitch assemblies and hitch balls to avoid obstructions within the load bed of the towing vehicle, convenient placement of maintenance fittings have generally been overlooked.
Safety chains are often utilized with gooseneck hitches to provide a secondary means of connection between the rear of the towing vehicle and the front of the towed vehicle. In order to secure the safety chain, the towing vehicle utilizes some sort of safety chain attachment device. These safety chain attachment devices, however, often obstruct the load bed of the towing vehicle when the hitch is not being used. One solution is to drill additional holes in a load bed of the towing vehicle, and secure a safety chain attachment device to part of the gooseneck hitch attached below the load bed. However, drilling additional holes in the load bed is not always desirable.
Further, removable safety chain attachment devices utilize a single attachment point with the towing vehicle. This single point attachment, however, may limit the amount of force that may be applied to the safety chain attachment device. This may further limit the amount the gooseneck hitch may be able to effectively operate.
A need, therefore, exists for a safety chain attachment device that is removable from the load bed of the towing vehicle when not in use, is easy to operate, and does not require new additional holes to be made in the load bed of the towing vehicle. Further, there is a need for a safety chain attachment device that is able to utilize more than one point of contact and is able to handle larger loads.